This invention relates to a training aid (Effective Golf Grip and Swing Repeater Training Aid) to assist the golfer in maintaining and developing the proper positioning of the lead wrist and the angle formed between this wrist and the shaft of the club at address throughout the golf swing. This is a key component of the illustrated golf swing.
The golf swing was developed and uses a swing technique that keys on maintaining the wrist angle set at address thru the entire swing. This technique was developed to simplify the golf swing and make it more repeatable.
This angle is formed by the wrists and the shaft of the golf club when a golfer grips the club at address. By maintaining this angle, it allows the golfer to consistently return the golf club at impact in the same position it was at address, thus allowing for a square club face at impact. Golfers have continually struggled to achieve this address position at impact due to their wrists hinging during the swing. They in turn have to un-hinge during the swing to return to the address position. The timing of this un-hinging of the wrists back to impact is difficult to achieve and one of the main reasons golfers struggle to return the golf club square at impact and to hit consistent golf shots.
This invention was developed after years of watching golfers struggle to achieve the proper impact between the golf club and golf ball on a consistent basis. There are three impact elements necessary to hit a golf shot properly. The club face needs to arrive at impact square, the club path needs to swing thru the ball in the direction a player wants the ball to start and the club needs to swing level thru the ball at impact to have solid contact. These three elements of impact will produce straight solid golf shots. In developing this technique, it was determined that two of these impact factors would be easier to control on a consistent basis by maintaining the wrist angle between the wrists and the golf club at the address position. Golfers who hinge their wrists (flex and extend) or bend the wrists from ulnar and radial deviation during the golf swing, struggle to achieve consistent proper impact between the golf club and golf ball. Moving the wrists in any of these positions will cause the club face and the level of the club thru the ball to be difficult to achieve on a consistent basis.
From the proper swing set-up, maintaining the wrist/golf club angle throughout the entire golf swing technique will return the golf club square and level thru the ball at impact. This will produce straight solid shots. Once straight solid shots are achieved, it will be simple to then swing the club thru the ball in the direction the player wants the ball to start. This golf grip and swing repeater training aid will maintain the wrist angle at address throughout the entire swing. It will prevent the wrists from ulnar and radial deviation as well as flexing or extending. This will then allow the golfer to achieve consistent results and repetitive practice and muscle memory.
In particular, this invention discloses an improvement to the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,044 issued May 29, 1984 and entitled Golf Training Aid, along with an additional device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,922 issued Dec. 30, 1980 and also entitled Golf Training Aid. Compared to the U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,044, this invention is intended for use with every golf club from the driver, hybrids, and irons on down to the putter. After many years of studying the golf grip and golf swing, this invention was designed to properly set the hand and wrist of the leading hand of the golf grip, stabilizing both the lead hand and second hand of the golf grip, allowing the clubface to remain square throughout the entire golf swing. With all the practicing that golfers do these days in order to try to improve their golf swing, many don't know if they are practicing the right way. The old saying: “practice makes perfect” is totally false. Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes permanent. If a golfer is practicing something the wrong way and continues to practice it the wrong way, he will never be successful in doing it the right way. There are many teaching methods out there however the plane simple golf swing teaching method is just that: simple. In the region of the elbow, stiff, throughout a golf swing.
The patent to J. D. Risher et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,794,638, attempts to maintain some control of the wrist, to hold it fixed in one position during a golf swing.
The patent to G. D. Barry, U.S. Pat. No. 2,924,458, shows a support for use by the bowler, in order to maintain a bowling wrist during participation in that sport.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,947,307, shows a Plastic Foam Splint, but that device is for use for holding an injured limb stationary.
The patent to H. F. Pierce, U.S. Pat. No. 3,048,169, shows a Method of Forming Casts Made with Plastic Foam Material. This is also for use for medical purposes.
The patent to B. S. Gross, U.S. Pat. No. 3,217,332, shows a Sportsman's Accessory. It is a wrist-encircling device, and for use in providing assistance to the bowler.
The patent to R. B. Coupar, U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,926, shows a Golfer's Arm Bend Restraining Device. Once again, this device is designed for restraining the entire arm, to generally keep the lead arm straight, while driving the golf ball.
The patent to W. H. Cox, U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,095, shows another Golfing Aid, which attempts to keep the back of the lead hand from moving out of alignment, with the rest of the arm, during a golf swing.
The patent to Nannini, U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,245, shows another Golfer's Wrist Attachment, and this one is designed to accommodate a bend up of the wrist, apparently during an entire golf swing.
The patent to Arluck, U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,943, shows an Orthopedic Device, for keeping a limb apparently immobile, during rehabilitation.
Finally, the patent to DeRogatis, U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,709, shows a Golfer's Elbow Stiffener.
All of these prior art devices show various types of means for controlling some segment of the body, even when participating in golf, but none of these devices, it is submitted, can achieve the three impact factors and elements that can be attained from usage of the current development.